MARKET MURDER

FRIDAY THE 13TH MURDER. Romari Bibangco and his daughter grieve before the body of son Ranny, a supplier of quail eggs whom an unidentified gunman shot in a daring broad daylight assassination at the Iloilo Terminal Market on Friday, July 13, 2018. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN

BY IAN PAUL CORDERO and GLENDA SOLOGASTOA

ILOILO City – Friday the 13th yesterday was an unlucky day for a 33-year-old businessman. He was shot to death early morning outside the Iloilo Terminal Market. The gunman and a motorcycle-driving companion then fled.

Following the brazen broad daylight killing, Mayor Jose Espinosa III called for the deployment of more policemen on the streets. People need assurance that they are safe, he stressed.

Ranny Bibangco, a supplier of quail eggs to market vendors at three big public markets in this city, was riddled with bullets at around 6 a.m. while talking to a friend at a fruit stand on Rizal Street, Barangay Rizal Pala-pala, City Proper.

Mayor Espinosa urged residents to cooperate with the police in maintaining peace and order. Not all nooks and crannies of the city could be guarded by policemen at all times, he stressed.

As of this writing, Bibangco was being prepared for autopsy. According to Chief Inspector Hilarion Roga, commander of the police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives, the victim had gunshot wounds on the head, back and neck.

“The wound on the head was likely the fatal shot,” said Roga.

Investigators have not ruled out anything yet. According to Pablito, the crime could be business-related.

He described Bibangco as a big supplier of quail eggs with clients at the Iloilo Terminal Market, Jaro and La Paz public markets.

He could earn as high as P6,000 in a day, said Pablito, citing a statement from a cousin of the victim.

Pablito also said the father told him that Bibangco once talked about having a falling out with a former business partner from a southern Iloilo town.

“Over dinner, nabanggit ng anak na he was being threatened by this former business partner and he was warned to better watch his back,” said Pablito.

The police chief said Bibangco may also have relationship issues. From what he had gathered from the Tigbauan police, Pablito said a seaman once lodged a complaint at the police station’s Women and Children Protection Desk against his wife and Bibangco.

1 COMMENT

That is how the Philippines running by the President with only word come from his mouth is “KILL”. Is this country safe as what he is always said to people. How come Iloilo were become a killing zone using drugs as reason. Their are so many murder in Iloilo now a days compare to previous administration. What are the police are doing, do we need to trust the them.